That's What Friends Are For
by RchHghr
Summary: True friends will always be there for you.


Disclaimer: I don't own anything. All rights belong to their rightful owners. I just enjoyed writing this story.

Enjoy

!22!22!22

Dark and gothic, those are the words most use to describe me. They haven't seen dark. Right now I am so wound up I could explode. I storm down the street. I only know one place to be at right now; and that person has some explaining to do of their own.

I am not going to take this attitude out on them either.

Steps heavy, fists balled, and bag swinging wildly I dodge streetlamps with bright lights. Not that I was crying or anything, I just don't want people seeing my face.

Even if I was, they were tears of anger.

At the door I knock three times with a heavy fist. The wood is so smooth I don't have to worry about blisters.

There are no cars in the driveway, but through the front window I can see light flicker from the living room television. Someone must be home, otherwise they all went out and left the stupid thing on.

That's something too common in my house.

I ring the bell once to a drawn out ring with a song I cannot place. It does sound familiar, but from where?

Nobody answers the door and my frustration boils up. I ring it again in two successions. Movement in the house catches my attention.

The lock turns, and a hooded head pokes out. "I don't want to buy cookies, or religion," Cat says in a quiet – too quiet voice compared to her regular octaves.

It stops me for a moment.

"Cat, it's me," I say.

"Oh. Hi Jade," she greets. There's no enthusiasm, no annoying perkiness, or excitement in her that I've grown to expect.

"Aren't you going to let me in?" I question obviously. I'm not in the mood. I'm really trying to not take this out on her, but its getting more and more difficult.

"Um, okay," she says, and moves out of the way. The door opens, and the whole house is dark as far as I can see. The only light is the glow from the tv.

She doesn't wait for me. She walks back over to the couch and lays down while haphazardly throwing a blanket over herself.

I close and lock the door. Everything is too quiet.

"Where is everyone?" I question. I set my bag on the smaller of the two couches and sit at her feet.

"Not home," she says. Her eyes stay on the tv, but she isn't watching the stupid thing. And besides, the show is in Spanish. I know she hasn't a clue what is going on.

I try a different approach. "So you weren't in school today, why is that?"

"It's not Saturday?" she questions sarcastically in that Cat way.

Her eyes don't practically blink. "My mistake," she continues, "Guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is Saturday!"

Being blown off is something I don't expect from Cat. I'm not putting up with it. I lift the blanket off of her and get up and turn off the tv. I turn on the two side lamps in the room.

"You didn't answer your phone for anyone today. Start talking. What is going on?"

"My ringer must be on silent. I'll turn it on." She gets up and reaches into the pocket of her hoody. She pulls it out, but something else falls out. A folded piece of paper. She quickly scrambles to put it back in, but I snatch it out from under her.

"Give that back Jade!" she literally fights me for it, so I give it back. She puts it back in her pocket and cradles her left arm as she sits back down again.

"Please go Jade."

I'm hurt. I can say that much, but never show it. I grab my bag. "Fine."

I walk out the door closing it behind me. It sucks that she's not her normal self. I need that right now.

I storm down the street.

"Jade! Wait!"

I stop and turn around. I see her standing in the doorway.

"What?" I question arms crossed.

"Come back. Sit next to me," she says.

I go back and sit down next to her on the porch. She stuffs both her hands in the kangaroo pocket, and rocks a little.

I don't say anything. When she's ready she can talk. I set my bag next to me.

"Did I miss anything at school today?" she questions trying to be as normal as possible.

I am not buying it.

"No," I answer short and simple.

"Oh," she shrugs. Her arm must hurt because she rubs it; the same one she cradled.

She looks around. A cat runs down the street as if it's being chased. I don't see anything chasing it.

I pick at the nails on my right hand. They are all chipped. I snagged one on a costume today. I ended up just taking half of it off.

I pick at the polish on my pinky nail.

After a while she still doesn't say anything. I gather up my bag. "Alright, I'm going to go home. You better get inside as well; it's getting chilly out here."

"Wait," she calls and grabs my hand to halt me. "Jade, my brother attacked me today!" she says this so quickly I have to take a moment to process it. She continues, clearer this time, "he grabbed the kettle off the stove and swung at me for no reason at all. It was filled with hot water.

I sit back down next to her. She shows me the largest, darkest bruise I've even seen.

"I tried to fight him away, and he shoved me into the stove. My dad quickly ran downstairs and got him before he could do anything else."

"Where are they now?"

"Hospital, but I think he's going to jail. They wanted me to go, but I didn't want to. I just took a pain pill and slept all day."

I search through my bag and take out my cellphone. Hers might be "on silent" still, or "fell in the couch cushion."

I hold it out to her. "Call your parents. Tell them you're staying with me tonight. We're going to go out with our friends, and then you're sleeping over."

"Okay," she says. She calls her mom and talks to her while picking at peeling paint on the railing. After she hangs up she leans against me while send out a text. Tori asks us all over to play cards and order Chinese. Even though she isn't my friend, I know Cat is happy to have her as a friend.

"So what's wrong?" she questions, "Why are you so mad?"

I sigh. "It's nothing in comparison to what you just told me. It doesn't matter anymore. I have detention. Let's just leave it at that. Let's go inside and get you ready."

"Thank you for being the bestest friend someone could ask for." She wraps her arms around me pressing her cheek into mine.

I wrap my arms around her. "You know I will always be there for you."

Thanks for reading!


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